Egypt’s national railway company, ENR, has started the commercial operation of the Intercity trains built by Talgo between the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and the city of Alexandria.
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(31/01/2023)
The contract, awarded in 2019 and a relevant part of the modernization process of the Egyptian railway system, includes the supply of six units and their maintenance for eight years for an amount close to 160 million Euros. It also involves the construction of new Talgo facilities in Egypt.
With a maximum commercial speed of 160 km/h and 490 seats, each unit is made up of a locomotive and fifteen towed cars, five of them for first class, eight for second class, one mixed with cafeteria and seats for people with reduced mobility, and a technical car.
The vehicles feature an onboard WIFI platform throughout the train and infotainment systems in the first-class cars. Manufactured in Talgo’s factory in Rivabellosa (Alava, Spain) and designed based on the company’s experience on the Mecca-Medina line, these trains have high-power redundant air conditioning systems, and have been certified to operate at temperatures of up to 50ºC.
Second contract
In August 2022, a second contract was added for the manufacture of another seven passenger trains, in this case for night services, and their maintenance for a period of 15 years, for an approximate amount of 280 million Euros. The new trains, which will be built at the Rivabellosa and Las Matas manufacturing plants, are scheduled to be delivered from 2024 onwards.
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